Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis today announced he has chosen state Rep. Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello, to lead the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
“Florida’s trillion-dollar economy is founded on thriving businesses -- from the small mom and pop shops to the largest corporations headquartered in the Sunshine State,” said DeSantis. “It is vital to our state’s continued success that we streamline the way we approach business regulation and eliminate the bureaucratic barriers that stifle growth. For that reason, I am proud to announce that I have asked Rep. Halsey Beshears to serve as the secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
"Throughout his distinguished career, Halsey has been a champion for deregulation and, under his leadership, this agency will become the focal driver that will make Florida a premier destination for entrepreneurs and companies seeking to relocate. Halsey, a nationally recognized regulatory innovator, is the perfect choice to lead DBPR. I am more than confident that his leadership and expertise will bring jobs, economic growth, and continued success to our state,” the governor-elect concluded.
Said Jose Oliva, speaker of the Florida House, applauded DeSantis' decision. "Halsey Beshears is a highly capable leader who has worked tirelessly to unlock more opportunities for Floridians by cutting unnecessary regulations that impede entrepreneurs and small-businesses," Oliva said. "He is an excellent choice to lead DBPR and I know he will use that passion and expertise well at Florida’s key regulatory agency."
In the House Beshears represents District 7, which includes Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Lafayette, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla Counties as well as part of Leon County. During his time in the Legislature, he has chaired the Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee and was most recently appointed chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has oversight over DBPR. According to DeSantis' written statement, throughout his time in the Florida House, Beshears has been a champion for deregulation, streamlining and pro-business policies.
Beshears is also a businessman, having started and run numerous companies in North Florida, which include commercial property management, bicycle equipment and sales, and a wholesale agriculture company. Additionally, he was the chief financial officer of one of Florida’s oldest retail nurseries, leading the company to record growth and doubling its employee base. Beshears has a Bachelor of Science degree in social science from Florida State University and a Masters in entrepreneurship from the University of Florida.
